The AFL Commission will have to ignore the unanimous pleas of the 17 other clubs if it is to award Melbourne a priority draft pick.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has revealed every club has been in contact with the league to express its disapproval of the Demons’ bid to secure another prized selection in this year’s national draft.

The Demons have failed to capitalise on their previous high draft picks. Photo: Joe Armao

'Melbourne, which finished 17th with only two wins, has lodged an application for a priority pick, and a decision by the AFL Commission will be made on September 23, the day of the Brownlow Medal count.

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When asked what the feedback from clubs had been about the possibility of the embattled Demons receiving another free pick, Demetriou (who is also a Commission member) said the clubs had made their position clear.

"Of the 17 clubs that are not Melbourne that have spoken or written to me, it’s fair to say there is a fairly consistent view ... They all say ‘no thanks’," he said on SEN on Tuesday.

It has been revealed that a priority pick does not have to be among the first handful of selections, as has been the case in the past. The pick can be slotted into the end of the first round of the draft, for instance.

Former AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said on Sunday Melbourne did not deserve a priority pick and doubted that its request to the league would be successful.

Demetriou said installing the "four pillars" common at most highly successful clubs – a "strong and capable" chairman, chief executive, coach and captain – would make a far greater difference at Melbourne than any priority draft pick could.

"If you get those four things aligned and you get everyone on the same page, normally you are on the road to success," he said.

Demetriou said Port Adelaide was the perfect example of how quickly a club could turn itself around by appointing the right people.

Melbourne last week secured former Sydney premiership coach Paul Roos to be its new senior coach and has the highly respected Peter Jackson as its chief executive.

Port Adelaide had won just eight games in the previous two seasons before mass change at the club sparked a resurgence this year that has Ken Hinkley’s team taking on Geelong in Friday night’s semi-final.

Melbourne has managed just six wins over its last two completed seasons.

"I’m glad you mentioned Port Adelaide because their transformation is nothing short of remarkable," Demetriou said.

"This is a club that we’ve had to support, with the SANFL, to the tune of millions of dollars," he said.

"It started when they appointed Keith Thomas as CEO ... They’ve got a new chairman, he’s come in, David Koch, and the whole place has changed.

"From the day he walked into that place, he’s got a new board, a new coach, he’s got a new captain in Travis Boak and they’ve got a completely new culture."

36 comments

Far from giving them a priority pick, there should be a review of why their penalties were so weak last time. More draft picks need to be taken away or relegated.

Commenter

mark

Date and time

September 10, 2013, 12:00PM

Like they did for all the other clubs? Kreuzer Cup ring any bells? Collingwood sending all star players for "minor" surgery with 2 weeks left in the season? How did Fremantle go in the last round this season? Just sayin.

Commenter

I have seen the future

Location

WA

Date and time

September 10, 2013, 12:55PM

The AFL: competition is not fair. A bias exists to support the bottom sides. We have a draft we have a salary cap and we have priority picks, these three measures are to support the bottom clubs. That is fact. When the bottom sides rise it is good for the competition, remember Collingwood, Hawthorn, Richmond, Port Adelaide. They all got help. I think Melbourne needs help. I think pick one is too much. The AFL should give pick 10 to Melbourne as a priority pick, this would have been Essendon's pick. That way no side is disadvantaged and Melbourne do not get too much.

Commenter

Fair Go

Location

Mansfield

Date and time

September 10, 2013, 1:46PM

Top round draft picks are almost set in stone every year. Melbourne's players are there because 9 times out of 10 they were the next best players in the draft. So another high priority pick is senseless and ignores the real issue of coaching and administration - which they now have been given. Enough is enough

Commenter

Mr Pound Town

Location

Melbourne

Date and time

September 10, 2013, 2:01PM

Try being an Adelaide supporter - the draft penalties we got (for an infraction that didn't even take us over the salary cap) were worse that the drafts penalties inflicted on a club that put the health of its whole playing list at risk ....

Commenter

MrWhippy

Date and time

September 10, 2013, 9:04PM

I totally disagree. The draft should not be used as a punishment or as a leg up. The AFL is mucking around with the futures of clubs for years and years to come and it is the fans of clubs who suffer, not the administrators. Make the draft and the draw pure so that fans will at least feel that their lists and their final ladder position are fair. Any meddling from the AFL should be purely financial and administrative.

Commenter

Robertito

Location

Brisbane

Date and time

September 11, 2013, 10:29AM

Priority picks should not be given out for incompetence.

Commenter

Craig

Date and time

September 10, 2013, 12:13PM

So what should they be given out for Craig?

Commenter

Jimbo

Date and time

September 10, 2013, 1:23PM

There should not be priority picks, full stop. Yes I know other teams have received them in the past, but that happens when rules change some will have won and others will miss out.

By giving the 18th team pick one and so on is in itself compensating the lesser performing teams. The sooner the AFL draft has no comprimises in it, that includes awarding picks for losing free agents, the better.

Commenter

AC1737

Date and time

September 10, 2013, 2:43PM

Cheating thenCarlton done OK rort the cap then get three No1 draft picks even got away with the Kreuzer Cup Tanking game. Then Judds Visi deal to get around the salary cap amazing